A system which can be used to predict and determine how a person will react when placed in a hazardous situation may be used to assess whether the person qualifies for a particular position or is able to perform a specific task. How the person reacts will depend on how a hazard is perceived. The ability to perceive and deal with a hazard satisfactorily whilst driving a vehicle is of particular interest to authorities which grant vehicle driving licences and companies asked to insure vehicles driven by the licence holder. While tests for the granting of a driving licence normally assess knowledge of basic driving skills and knowledge of traffic rules, little is done to assess whether a driver has sufficient capability to react satisfactorily in a hazardous situation to avoid vehicle damage or personal injury. An ability to test this capability could be used generally to assess driving performance, such as whether persons suffering certain medical conditions should be allowed to drive.
A system is desired which can assess and predict future driver behaviour in a number of hazardous situations. Ideally, the system would provide full simulation of vehicle driving conditions, and present a number of hazardous situations to a test subject, but such a system would be prohibitively expensive. Reducing the level of simulation reduces the cost but the system then needs to avoid a phenomenon known as simulation sickness which test subjects will suffer unless their stimula is carefully controlled. The system should take these factors into account and yet still be able to provide a satisfactory assessment of the person's hazard perception ability.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a hazard perception test system comprising:
means for displaying a sequence of images of a scene to be viewed by a test subject and in which at least one hazard appears, said images establishing a state of relative movement between said at least one hazard and said subject;
means for generating a select signal in response to an action by said subject, said select signal representing an image in said sequence selected by said subject as a point in said sequence at which to change said state; and
means for determining the ability of said subject to satisfactorily perceive hazards on the basis of said select signal.
Preferably said generating means generates an interrupt signal in response to said action by said subject and, in response to said interrupt signal, accesses image address data of said system and derives said select signal from said image address data.
The ability of said subject may be deemed to be satisfactory when the number of the selected image is within a predetermined range. Preferably said display means displays a plurality of different ones of said sequence, and a plurality of said select signal generated for the difference sequences, respectively, represent respective image numbers associated with each of the sequences, and said determining means thereby determines said ability is satisfactory when the sum of said image numbers is within a predetermined range or when the respective image numbers fall within respective predetermined ranges for a predetermined percentage of said sequences.
Advantageously said scene requires at least one perceptual component of a group of perceptual components to be exercised satisfactorily to negotiate said hazard, said group including perceptual components which when exercised unsatisfactorily contribute to the aetiology of accidents.
Advantageously the scene may be one normally viewed by the driver of a vehicle during a driving situation and said hazard is a driving hazard, such as an approaching vehicle, obstacle, bend, or a changing or approaching traffic signal.